In the ’30s, Ford enjoyed a powerful selling advantage over the rest of the low-priced field: a V8 engine. Ford called the V8 “the mark of the modern car.”
On October 19, 1935, the 1936 Ford was introduced, and the world took note of the fresh and appealing new look. The update was so effective, in fact, that many observers didn’t even notice the ’36 Ford was essentially a ’35 from the cowl back. Ford had improved and enlarged the body shell the previous year, and now the car was in the second year of its design cycle. (See our feature on the ’35 Fords here.) But the ’36 front end was so modern and well-integrated into the existing design that it created the look of an all-new car.
In fact, the ’35 and ’36 cars are so otherwise similar that Ford offered, through its dealers, a kit with all the necessary front end sheet metal to convert a ’35 passenger car into a ’36—in exterior appearance, anyway. However, the price was a hefty $213.28 and another $69 for labor. And since a whole new 1936 Ford could be had for as little as $510, it appears there were relatively few takers.
As the only automaker in the low-priced field to offer an eight-cylinder engine, Ford sold its market advantage at every opportunity. “Modern motoring requires at least eight cylinders,” the ad writers declared. A V8 engine, they opined, was “the mark of the modern car.” When the V8 was introduced in spring of 1932 there were some early quality-control issues, but the bugs were soon worked out and the flathead V8’s reputation as a reliable and powerful engine began to grow.
By ’36, the flathead V8 settled into its classic ’30s output specs: 85 brake hp at 3,800 rpm and 148 lb-ft of torque at 2,200 rpm. But the numbers might not tell the whole story. The Chevrolet and Plymouth sixes produced more than adequate power for daily driving, and at 79 hp and 82 hp, respectively, they were a fair match for the Ford V8, on paper at least. But in the automotive community, the Ford V8 was understood to be the hot performer of the bunch.
With eight cylinders rather than six, the Ford V8 was smoother and more flexible over a greater rpm range. Meanwhile, Ford engineers had carefully optimized the transmission and axle ratios to take advantage of the engine’s willing nature. In an impromptu drag race away from a stop light, there were few if any cars at any price that could outrun a Ford V8 over a few city blocks. Ford production boss Charlie Sorensen, for one, took great satisfaction from that in his exchanges with rival auto executives. A Ford V8 in sound tune was also good for 85 mph, which on the limited roads of the day was more than enough to thrill anyone.
Not that the flathead V8 was perfect by any means. Ford never did completely eliminate the engine’s tendency to overheat, for example. And Chevrolet continued to vex Ford in the annual sales races. Despite the handsome new front end and V8 engine, Chevy sold more than 930,000 cars in 1936, beating Ford by a sound margin. That doesn’t seem to bother early Ford V8 enthusiasts at all, as the ’36 is one of the all-time favorites,
In all my years I had never heard of the ’35/’36 Ford update kits. I learn something new with every visit here.
Same here. Always something interesting at Macs Motor City.
It made an impression kind of like a Caddy or LaSalle. It seemed more like a higher-end car than Chevy or Plymouth. (Knowing fleet buyers preferred Chrysler product flat head sixes.)
’36s are indeed things of great beauty. Maybe the kits didn’t sell well, but I wonder how many ’35s were turned into ’36s later on.
What a great question. The ’36 was always considered more desirable. I remember as a tot reading in Rod & Custom magazine about Spence Murray’s project car, a ’36 custom roadster. He started with a ’35 and swapped on a ’36 front end. That would be around 1968.